This invention relates to a motor control apparatus combined with a vehicle engine, and particularly to a motor control apparatus having a clutch connected between a transmission and an engine-motor arrangement.
In a vehicle, there is a known motor control apparatus combined with an engine-motor arrangement which connects to a transmission through a clutch. The control apparatus for the motor, which has both driving and power-generating functions to the engine, controls driving and power-generating states of the motor during stop and traveling set on the basis of a driving state of the vehicle and a running state of the engine. Such a control system attains a high level of required performance (such as fuel efficiency, lower values of detrimental components in exhaust gases, and power performance).
One example of such control apparatus for a vehicle is disclosed in published Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-74602. The control apparatus indicated in this disclosure uses the pressure of fluid to determine a half combined or semi-connected state of a clutch (i.e. a half clutch), and when the clutch is in a half combined state, the control apparatus stops driving of the motor in order to protect the clutch.
In case of the control apparatus for a vehicle as disclosed in the above publication, as the motor stops driving after the clutch becomes in a half combined state because of determining a half combined state of the clutch by the pressure of fluid, the purpose of the clutch press or moving operation as caused by a person driving the vehicle is not reflected. On this account there is a drawback in that the control apparatus may control to drive the motor as if an engine will blow at an assist state, and will stall at a power-generating state. In addition, as the control apparatus needs circuitry fluid, there is a drawback in that the structure becomes complicated.
Furthermore, in a starting drive state from a stopping state of a vehicle, when the clutch is operated incompletely, there is drawback in that the vehicle can not smoothly start if the motor assists in starting the engine.
In order to obviate or minimize the above inconveniences, the present invention provides a motor control apparatus combined with an engine which is disposed in a vehicle, and which is connected to a transmission through a clutch, and which connects a motor having both driving and power-generating functions to a motor control means for controlling both driving and power-generating states of the motor when in a stopping control mode and a traveling control mode as a selected control mode that is based on an operating state of the vehicle. The control apparatus includes (releasing) clutch switches which are switched on or off by operating a clutch pedal for letting in or out (engaging) the clutch. A first clutch switch is off when the clutch is in a fully combined (i.e. engaged) state when the clutch pedal is not pressed down, and switches to on when the clutch is in a half combined state if the clutch pedal is pressed down. A second clutch switch is off when the clutch is in a fully released (i.e. disengaged) state wherein the clutch pedal is fully pressed down, and switches to on when the clutch is in a half combined state after partial return or release of the clutch pedal from the fully pressed down position. A motor control means stops driving and power generation of the motor when the first clutch switch switches to on from off.
The present invention also provides a motor control apparatus combined with an engine which is disposed in a vehicle and which is connected to a transmission through a clutch, and which connects a motor having both driving and power-generating functions to a motor control means for controlling both driving and power-generating states of the motor when in a stopping control mode and a traveling control mode as a selected control mode that is based on an operating state of the vehicle. The control apparatus includes (releasing) clutch switches which are switched off by operating a clutch pedal for letting in or out (engaging) the clutch. A first clutch switch is off when the clutch is a fully combined (i.e. engaged) state when the clutch pedal is not pressed down, and switches to on when the clutch is in a half combined state if the clutch pedal is pressed down. A second clutch switch is off when the clutch is in a fully released (i.e. disengaged) state wherein the clutch pedal is fully pressed down, and switches to on when the clutch is in a half combined state after partial return or release of the clutch pedal from the fully pressed down position. The control apparatus includes a motor control means to assist in starting the engine, as an assist condition of a motor in a starting drive mode of a vehicle, when an idle switch is off, when vehicle speed is zero or nearly zero, and when the second clutch switch becomes off from on, then the motor control means sets a flag, and at the state that the flag is set, when the second clutch switch becomes on from off.
According to this invention, firstly, when a clutch pedal is pressed down in order to release the clutch, during drive of the motor, and when the first clutch switch switches to on from off, then driving and power generation of the motor are stopped immediately at a half combined state of the clutch. Thus, the purpose of a person driving the vehicle for operating the clutch can be taken into account and the driving and the power generation of the motor are stopped before the clutch becomes in a half combined state, and consequently it can avoid the inconvenience of driving the motor in error to prevent an engine from blowing or stalling.
Secondly, as an assist condition of the motor in a starting drive state from a stopping state of the vehicle, when an idle switch is off, when vehicle speed is zero or nearly zero, and when the second clutch switch becomes off from on, then the motor control means sets a flag, and at the state that the flag is set, when the second clutch switch becomes on from off, then the motor control means to assist in starting the engine provides control over the motor so as not to drive the motor and then assist in starting the engine even if a clutch is operated incompletely, and consequently a smooth vehicle start can be achieved.